Key holes

[steve_fedor]

How are you cutting key holes for wall mounting placks.

[ljdm]

Not trying to be a smarta@#........... I use a keyhole bit. Pretty easy to write a cut file for the moves needed. Have it move to the desired location, plunge to depth needed, move in direction you want, move back, then move back up out of the hole.

[harryball]

I use a keyhole bit both on and off the bot. For production stuff I use the table router but I cut a jig on the bot to position. Push down, pull, push, lift, done.

On the bot I program a tool path as a U, plunge, move to the end, move over about 1/32" then return, lift. That works well and leaves things clean.

/RB

[steve_fedor]

Thank you for the replies. I tried drawing a poly
line in part works, down and up over itself and it worked.

[Gary Campbell]

Guys...
I use a file that we use to cut pockets for sidewalk or carriage bolts. We often embed them in the back side of marine woodwork. I use the Rockler T slot bit and that bit allows entry holes up to 1.5" for the head and a slot width up .5". If anyone want to try it email me.
Put "Keyhole Cutter" in the subject line to get thru the spam filter.
Gary

[butch]

Steve
I do keyholes on several items. Seems most people like the carvings for display rather than say a cribbage board, or cutting board. I tried to make a file and have the software make the cut file, but learned it is easier to just write the program. Here is one I use, then just change to center and position the start of the cut. Easy to do..just find the start and center point, do a search and change the numbers in the file.

'File created in VCarve Wizard
'
'UNITS:Inches
'
'For ShopBot Control: SB3 Alpha
'
'Keyhole for pocket on top/Z=top, 1/4in Keyhole bit/Set RPM to 12000
PAUSE
'
'Turning spindle ON
SO,1,1
PAUSE,2
'
MS,1.0,0.5
JZ,1.5
J2,0.000000,0.000000
J3,4.75,7.5,1.5
'Position to start point
M3,4.75,7.5,-0.31
'Drill down
M3,4.75,7.85,-0.31
'Move to top of cut
M3,4.75,7.5,-0.31
'Back to start point
J3,4.75,7.5,1.50
'Back out of start hole
JZ,3.0
'Clear to change Z height
SO,1,0
'
'Turning spindle off
J2,6.000,30.000000
'
'Position spindle to bit change station


Butch

[srwtlc]

Here's one that I have set as a Custom Cut. Some of the values are preset, but you can enter other values and quantities. It has some presets for items that I make often so I just have to give it a quantity.

I'll post it here for reference. If you use it, you'll need to make some adjustments for your needs.

There are a couple of subs that aren't finished as I haven't taken time to add them in yet. It was kind of a work in progress.

I generally cam wedge the plaques, etc. into a corner and when one slot is done, the machine parks some distance away and waits for me to change the blank and push a little "repeat button" to continue.

*********************************************** **

'Keyholer

SA
MS,3,0.8
TR, 16500

MSGBOX(Is the tool zeroed on the blank?,4,Z Zero Check)
If &msganswer = NO Then GOSUB ZEROTOOL

JZ,2

SL 'clear all variables
&blankcount = 0 'set up counting variables
&zclear = 0.25 'Safe Z clearance height between slots
&slotdepth = -0.3125 'Hangslot hole depth
&waitloc = 6.0 'Wait location

MSGBOX(Do you want presets?,260,Presets)
If &msganswer = YES Then GOTO PRESETS

'Input for blank size and quantity.
INPUT "Blank size in X, Y, and quantity?" &sizeX,&sizeY,&numblanks

'Input for type of hangslots.
INPUT "What type of hangslots? Single (X), single (Y), both (XY), vertical along X (VX) or Y (VY), vertical with single along X (VXS) or Y (VYS), all (A)" &type

If &type = Y Then GOTO SINGLEY
If &type = X Then GOTO SINGLEX
If &type = B Then GOTO DOUBLE
If &type = VX Then GOTO VERTICALX
If &type = VXS Then GOTO VERTICALXS
If &type = VY Then GOTO VERTICALY
If &type = VYS Then GOTO VERTICALYS
If &type = A Then GOTO ALL

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

DOUBLE:

&dist=1.0
&length=2.0

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance from edge to center of slot and slot length" &dist,&length

REPEAT DOUBLE:

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&dist,&sizeY/2+(&length/2)
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,-&length
MY,&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREDOUBLE
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREDOUBLE:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO REPEAT DOUBLE
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREDOUBLE

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

SINGLEY:

&dist=1.0
&length=2.0

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance from edge to center of slot and slot length" &dist,&length

REPEAT SINGLEY:

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&dist,&sizeY/2+(&length/2)
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,-&length
MY,&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHERESINGLEY
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHERESINGLEY:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO REPEAT SINGLEY
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHERESINGLEY

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

SINGLEX:

&dist=1.0
&length=2.0

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance from edge to center of slot and slot length" &dist,&length

REPEAT SINGLEX:

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHERESINGLEX
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHERESINGLEX:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO REPEAT SINGLEX
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHERESINGLEX


'************************************************* ************************************************** *

VERTICALX:

&distedgeX=1.0
&distedgeY=1.75
&length=0.75

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance from X zero edge to center, distance from Y edge for start point, and slot length" &distedgeX,&distedgeY,&length

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&distedgeX,&sizeY-&distedgeY
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&length
MY,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX-&distedgeX,&sizeY-&distedgeY
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&length
MY,-&length
SA
JZ,1.0
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALX
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREVERTICALX:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO VERTICALX
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALX


'************************************************* ************************************************** *

VERTICALY:

&distedgeX=1.75
&distedgeY=1.0
&length=0.75

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance to start point from X zero edge, distance from Y zero edge to center, and slot length" &distedgeX,&distedgeY,&length

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&distedgeX,&distedgeY
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,-&length
MX,&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&distedgeX,&sizeY-&distedgeY
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,-&length
MX,&length
SA
JZ,1.0
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALY
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREVERTICALY:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO VERTICALY
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALY


'************************************************* ************************************************** *

VERTICALXS:

&dist = 1.0
&length = 2.0
&distedgeXV = 1.0
&distedgeYV = 1.75
&lengthV = 0.75

MSGBOX(Use default values?,3,Default Values)
If &msganswer = CANCEL Then END
If &msganswer = NO Then INPUT "Distance from edge to center of horizontal slot and length. Distance from edge for vertical slot X and Y. Length of vertical slot" &dist,&length,&distedgeXV,&distedgeYV,&lengthV

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&distedgeXV,&sizeY-&distedgeYV
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&lengthV
MY,-&lengthV
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX-&distedgeXV,&sizeY-&distedgeYV
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&lengthV
MY,-&lengthV
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALXS
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREVERTICALXS:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO VERTICALXS
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREVERTICALXS

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

VERTICALYS:


'************************************************* ************************************************** *

ALL:


'************************************************* ************************************************** *

PRESETS:

'Input for various presets
INPUT "What preset would you like, and how many? Wisconsin (W), US Forestry (F), 10 x 18 Fighter Jet (J)" &preset,&numblanks
If &preset = W Then GOTO WI
If &preset = F Then GOTO FORESTRY
If &preset = J Then GOTO 1018

WI:

&sizeX = 13.25
&sizeY = 14.5
&dist=4.5
&length=2.5

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREWI
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREWI:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO WI
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREWI

FORESTRY:

&sizeX = 14.5
&sizeY = 14.5
&dist=1.9375
&length=2.0

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHEREFOR
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHEREFOR:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO FORESTRY
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHEREFOR

1018:

&sizeX = 18.0
&sizeY = 10.0
&dist = 1.0
&length = 2.0
&distedgeXV = 1.0
&distedgeYV = 1.75
&lengthV = 0.75

SO,1,1 'Router on
J2,&distedgeXV,&sizeY-&distedgeYV
JZ,&zclear
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&lengthV
MY,-&lengthV
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX/2-(&length/2),&sizeY-&dist
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MX,&length
MX,-&length
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,&sizeX-&distedgeXV,&sizeY-&distedgeYV
MZ,&slotdepth
SR
MY,&lengthV
MY,-&lengthV
SA
JZ,&zclear
J2,0.0,&sizeY+&waitloc

&blankcount=&blankcount+1
IF &blankcount < &numblanks THEN GOTO WAITHERE1018
IF &blankcount = &numblanks THEN GOTO END

WAITHERE1018:

&TEST=%(51)
IF &TEST=1 THEN GOTO 1018
PAUSE 0.3
GOTO WAITHERE1018

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

ZEROTOOL:

'Use the keypad to jog to the desired z-zeroing position, then hit escape when finished.
Pause
SK
'Hit enter to zero the Z axis here.
Pause
FP,C:\SBparts\My Zzero.sbp 'Change this to Zzero.spb or just C2 and it will not return to where it left off.

RETURN

'************************************************* ************************************************** *

END:

SO,1,0 'Router Off
JZ,1
END